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Tag Archives: Methow photography

Amaryllis

This time of year flowers are few and far between. Some low-lying dryer parts of the state may have some buttercups and grass widows but here on my hill they remain snow-covered or encased in mud. Blooming house plants do bring some color inside, sometimes unexpectedly. According to The Amaryllis Bulb Company, these plants can bloom from December through June. I had always considered them to be Christmas flowers and wondered why I could not get them to re-bloom during the holiday season. This particular plant also bloomed last summer when it stayed outside on the deck. When fall came, I put it in the coolest room in the house and quit watering it. After it lost all of its leaves about a month ago, I began to water it again. It sent up a flower stalk right away and has been blooming this week. The flowers are stunning and they seem to be calling out to be pollinated. Maybe I should go see if Ken’s bees are awake and if they are interested. Or not. This plant was my mother’s. She had received it as a gift. I have been caring for it for nearly seven years now. Hard to believe she’s been gone that long.

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That’s a lot of photos for one flower. Some many images in that one growing plant.

Doggie Dash 2013

The Doggie Dash is one event that I look forward to every year. What do I like about it? Winter – I love this season. Dogs – do I even need to remind you? Skiing – my favorite outdoor activity. And it’s a light-hearted event – folks don’t take it seriously. Well, most folks don’t. It’s tons of fun. One person remarked that her face hurt afterwards – from smiling and laughing!

 

Getting to know you

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Wyatt Ann wonders “why am I dressed up like this and why are we here? Jennifer doesn’t really like to ski so much.”

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It’s the iEverything team. iPoop and iPickup with their matching iPods and headphones. And all made out of duct tape.

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You can’t make me

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Batman and Robin await the costume parade before the big race

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Daisy waits patiently

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Heck

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Sweet girl

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“Excuse me? You are trying to rent me out to some poor skier without a dog? Are you kidding? Maybe you need to get a another job!”

(people who live in the Methow are known to work more than one job in order to stay here)

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Richard is trying to avert the dreaded costume malfunction while Trip works on his game face.

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Great Owl costume.

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Kristen spent most of the morning explaining her costume. She’s a fork in the road – should she ski or bike? Or maybe play with her dog? Again, a costume created from duct tape.

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Princess Leia and Yota in the costume parade

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Lynnette – where did you get those leggings?

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Frida and the Tufted Puffin

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Going upstream?

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The kids’ race is first!

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It’s a hard-fought contest between Batman and Robin and the Two Grooms!

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Batman lunges ahead

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And the rest of the wedding party follows

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And then it’s time for the adult racers with small dogs

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Heaven and Heck are filmed for the Methow Grist

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And now the big dog race. There are several heats.

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Molly tries to stay in the race without Lynnette

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Some racers are more competitive

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This dog is very competitive

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Stitch and Lelo are in it for fun!

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I was rooting for the doodle!

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This looks like a fast team

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And in the final heat, they have to go around two laps. This is the backstretch of the first lap.

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In the second lap, the poodle pulls ahead

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To win it at the finish

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There was a contest for the runner up position

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The race winner – a poodle from Leavenworth.

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And the costume winner, also from out of town. He was channeling the late Bing Crosby and stayed in character the whole morning. Here he is, holding his dog and the much-coveted traveling trophy – the Golden Poodle!

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This fun event is sponsored by the Methow Valley Nordic Club. All proceeds benefit dogs and cats in need.

 

 

Spring Skiing at Big Valley

Luna is still recovering from her unfortuante accident last November. She continues to lack stamina and may still have some pain in her lower back. However, she wants to have fun. She wants to run and play with other dogs, go to agility and be the happy girl she’s always been. We’ve only occasionally been out to Big Valley – the winter ski/bike/snowshoe/walk/dog trail between Winthrop and Mazama – this winter. Last winter she would outrun me even on my skate skis or she’d be out in the deep snow searching for voles or anything else that caught her attention.

Today was a sunny warm morning and the MVSTA grooming report said it would be done around ten. A perfect morning for spring skiing. Apparently I am not the only person who reads those reports! Numerous cars full of people and dogs showed up right behind us!

 

A Ruffed Grouse slowly crossed the road, one sloooooow step at a time

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I think he is displaying to me. It is Valentine’s Day after all.

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Luna is excited to be at Big Valley!

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She starts off at a good clip

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She’s always had an easy running gait

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Who’s that down there?

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Hi. My name’s Luna.

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I’m Molly.

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Don’t act silly; they are watching us.

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Mike, the groomer, loves his job!

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Come on, quit talking! Let’s go!

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I don’t think you can catch him.

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I love these aspens.

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Starting to slow down after about 3k

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But then, there’s the river!

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I can will you to give me a cookie.

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Remains of the fall

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And winter’s ice

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Getting real tired now

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Trees. I can’t get enough of them.

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There’s some of the dogs we met at the parking lot.

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He doesn’t even know he’s different

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Just another k to go. You can do it Luna!

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Blue Skies and Ice

Yesterday’s warmth melted snow and ice and created beauty everywhere I looked.

 

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January Flight

Every winter it seems there is an unexpected thaw. Does that mean it should be expected? I just don’t know when to expect it. This morning I woke up and it was already 40º and there was a light wind blowing. A warm winter wind is a chinook and can be quite damaging to the snowpack. By mid-afternoon it was up to 50º and downright balmy. The snow was sliding from the roof with huge whumps, blocking our trails to the shop and greenhouse. I was shoveling snow and wearing a t shirt; it was that warm. Walking around the house to check on things, I noticed a dead honey bee on the snow’s surface. Then I noticed one flying and then I found more in the snow. At the hive, there is a great pile of dead bees near the entrance. I don’t know if any of this is normal. Ken thinks maybe the bees are cleaning out the bodies of bees that have died over the winter, taking advantage of the warm January day. I hope that’s all it is. This whole beekeeping endeavour is fraught with unknowns at every turn.

 

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